Natural Stunner - Maldives

If you are in Maldives, then a stay at the Meeru Island Resort and Spa is a must for its sporty activities and beach fun says Arati Thapa.

From my comfortable window seat in the Sri Lankan Airways flight, I craned my neck to take in the stunning view of the Indian Ocean several feet below. I could hear the pilot's voice announcing the descending of the plane to the Nasir Ibrahim International airport in Male. This is my third visit to Maldives but you can't have enough of the gorgeous view of the different shades of the sea you see through the flight window. I am excited to soak my feet into the clear waters after I fling my suitcase in the resort room.

The beautiful Maldivian representative Reesha, from the Maldives Tourism department greets us as we walk out of the airport handing us a colourful bag in haute pink with facts of the island in several brochures and a pink sarong with fishes on it. Ah, just what I needed!

We are headed to the Meeru Island Resort and Spa, one of our first stop in the island hopping that I am most excited to experience graciously organised by Maldives Tourism. Maldives has more than 1100 islands out of which more than 109 islands are home to beautiful resorts that have global visitors thronging for a good luxury vacation.

The thrill begins as soon as you walk out of the airport. To go to any of the islands you will need the speedboat or the sea plane. All resorts have their personal speedboats that will ferry you to it. As you sit in the speedboat you are engulfed with the beauty surrounding you in various shades of the most beautiful aquamarine that you can ever imagine, and you begin to feel the strong spirit of adventure associated with the sea. The 55 minute speedboat ride to the resort is so scenic that it will be etched in the memory forever.

When we reach the resort's pier we are greeted by the general manager warmly and welcomed by the well uniformed staff with a glass of chilled island drink and wet towels. Soon it is time to check into the luxe water villas that has been earmarked for us. The plush villa has a deck that opens out to the wide sea, and allows you to take a dip into it. In fact you can just swim across to your neighbour via the sea!

Surrounded by a beautiful lagoon and long stretches of white, sandy beach, Meeru is the only Resort in the island of Meerufenfushi, in North Male’ Atoll. It is 1200 meters long by 350 meters wide, about 105 acres, giving the visuals of a beautiful green locket bordered with blue turquoise.

After a delicious meal at one of the restaurant (the resort has four and six bars) we decide to take a walk, and get lucky enough to witness a beautiful wedding vow renewal ceremony. As many as 10 to 15 couples come to this resort every month for this beautiful moment we are told. It's a beautiful ceremony near the beach when the couple takes a vow amidst singing and dancing that gives a local flavour and then whisked off on a boat especially decked up for the occasion.

If this is not what's going to keep you busy, then the beach beckons you for snorkeling, diving, the submarine or the sunset cruise or just soaking in the sun in your villa. And you may end up just doing it. How would you be able to resist beautiful school of fishes swimming right under your water villa? A docile stingray, a cute white shark, you can just keep gazing at them while you sip on your green tea until the sun sets and a knock on your door says its dinner time.